Electric switch.



A. R. WITTWER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED sznzs, 1914.

1,165,479. Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

Witnesses Inventor by //I Attorneys ALFRED R. WITTWER, 0F SABETHA, KANSAS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

Application fiie'd September 28, 1914. Serial No. 863,971.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED R. VVrrrwna, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Sabetha, in the county of Nemaha and State ofKansas, have invented a new and useful Electric Switch, of which the following is a specification.

The device-forming the subject matter of this application is an electric switch and the object of the present invention is to provide a device of this type including a movable member which is actuated by a permutation mechanism, so that a conducting element on the movable member is brought into contact With an electrical terminal, thereby to close a circuit, the construction being such that the movable member can be actuated only by a person in possession of a predetermined combination adapted to be set off by the permutation means.

It is'within the scope of the invention to 1 improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present .invention appert ains.

With the foregoing and other objects in 1 shows the invention in front elevation;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 22 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a cross section on a the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmental section of the inner disk and attendant parts; Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan of the cam disk, the view depicting a modification.

In carrying out the present invention there is provided a supporting structure which may be a box-like casing 1 preferably fashioned from insulating, material. Upon the rear Wall of the casing 1 is mounted a binding post 2 or the like adapted to receive a conductor 3, the binding post affording an electrical terminal 4 which isaccessible from the interiorof the casing 1. A pin 5 fashioned I from conducting material is mounted to slidein the front wall of the casing 1 and ,is 'alined horizontally with the terminal 4, the pin 5 having an exposed insulating material. The pin 5 may carry a binding post 7 or the like adapted to receive a c0nductor'8.

J ournaled for rotation in the casing 1 and extended transversely thereof is a shaft 9 upon which is mounted a disk 11 held in place by nuts 10 threaded on the shaft 9. Secured to the outer end of the shaft 9 is a permutation disk 12 inscribed with characters 14 adapted to coact with any one of a series ofindices' 15 on the outer face of the casing 1 as Fig. 1 will make manifest.

The disk 12 and the indices 15 constitute Mounted to reciprocate in the casing 1 is a movable member preferably taking the form of a bar 16, the bar 16 being fashioned from insulating material. The bar 16 is provided with a longitudinal guide in the the .form of a slot 17 which. receives the shaft 9, the construction. being such that the bar is mounted to reciprocate on the shaft. The upper end of the bar 16 is disposed, within a keeper 18 attached to the rear wall of the casing 1. Extended through the bar 16 is a bridge pin 19 fashioned from conducting material.

A spring 20 is secured to the casing 1 and bears against one side of the bar 16. The

spring 20 may be retracted away from the bar 16 by means of a releasing member 21. Mounted on the disk 11 are cam strips 22, 23 and 24. A strip 25 is located adjacent one end of the strip 22, a strip 26 is located adjacent one end of the strip 23, and a strip 27 is located adjacent one end of the strip 24. Projecting from the movable member or bar 16 is a pin 28 adapted to coact with the cam strips in a manner to be pointed out hereinafter.

Suppose that the parts arepositioned as shown in Fig. 2 and that, through the medium of the permutation disk 12, the shaft 9 and the disk 11 are rotated. Let it be supposed, further. that the initial rotation of rides along the strip 22, the bar16 will be raised through a step determined by the eccentricity of the cam strip 22. Then, if tll'disk 11 is rotated in the direction of the arrow Y, the bar 16 will-.be lifted another step bythe action of the cam strip 23. Finally, if the disk 11 be rotated in the direction of the. arrow Z. bar 1'6\ will be raised by the strip 24, and the pin 19 the bar 'will be lined up with the fixed terminal 1 and the movable terminal-5. If the movable terminal 5 now be pushed inwardly,

a circuit will be closed, comprising the con ductor 3, the terminal 4, the bridge pin 19,

.the pin 5, and the conductor 8.

As the bar 16 is raised step by step, the

same'i'will be held elevated by the action of the spring 20. Though themedium of the.

releasing memberZl, the spring 20 may be pulled out of contact with the bar-16 at any time, whereupon thebar willdrop and by giving the disk 11 a turn or two, the parts will be restored 'to'the positions shown in Fig. 2.

' If disk 11 be turned too far in the direction of the arrow X; the strip 25 will engage the pin'28 and. retract 'bar 16. The strip 26 coacts in a similar manner with the strip 23 and the relations existing between 'the strips 24 and 27 will be clearly understood from the foregoing.

' The operation of a permutation lock mechanism is clearly understood by those skilledin the art and it will be appreciated, when Fig. 1 is examined, that the amount of rotation imparted tothe shaft 9 at'each step may be determined byv bringing the proper character 14 upon the permutation disk 12 opposite to one of the indices 15.

The combination may be changed at any time by loosening the nuts IO'a-nd shifting the disk 11 on the shaft 9.

In Fig. 5', the cam disk is denoted bythe numeral 100 and the numeral 101 indicates one of the cam strips. Screws 1-02 or any other suitable fastening means may be emploved for connecting thecam strips 101.

detachably' with the disk 100, u end in view being to permit a. shifting and an interchanging of cam strips, thereby to change the combination. 7

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed i'sz'.

1. In a deviceof thejclassldescribed, a

casing; a shaft journaled for rotation in the casing; a bar having a slot through which the shaft passes, the slot being elongated to permit. the bar to move endwise with the shaft as a guide; guiding means on the easing and coacting with thebar tohold the same for right line movement; a'disk securedto the shaft; cooperating elements on the disk and the bar which coactto move the bar endwise when the disk and the shaft are rotated; indicator mechanis ducting element on the bar; and an electrir terminal with which the conducting elpment coacts when the bar ismOVed ndwise.

for set-- ting the shaft in adjusted positions; a con 2. In a device of the class described, a supporting structure; a movable member thereon and having a conducting element; permutation mechanism op.erati\-'ely conneeted with the movable member to advance the movable member to a predetermined position; and an electrical terminal on the supporting structure and 'movable by an operator to contact with the conducting-element after the movable member has assumed .said predetermined position.

3. In a device of the class described, a

supporting structure; an electrical terminalthereon; a movable electrical terminal on the supporting structure and aimed with the first specified terminal; a movable mem;

ber mounted on thesupporting structure and provided with a bridge-means adapted to be alined. with the terminals; and peri a mutation mechanism operatively connected with the movable member .to ad vance' the same and to'bring the bridge means into alinementwiththeterminate. 1

4. In device of the class described, a

su p porting structure; -an electrical terminal thereon; a movable member mounted on the supporting structure a ndihaving a conducting element adapted to meet with the terminal; a shaft journaled in the supporting structure; a permutation Idisk connected therewith; a projection on the movable member; a disk carried by the shaft; and I cam strips on the last specified disk, the cam strips being adapted to cooperate with the member and to dispose 'the conducting element and the terminal'in coacting relation. 1 6. In a device'of the class described, a supporting structure; an electrical terminal carried thereby a movable'member mounted to reciprocate onthe supporting structure; a conducting element in the movable memher and adapted to coact with the terminal;

yielda ble means for holding the movable member against movement; means ,for releasing the yieldable means; a projection on the-movable member; a shaft journaled in the supporting structure; a disk carried by the shaft; cams strips on the disk and adapted to co operate with the projection,

'95P projection, thereby to actuate the movable 

